Not fewer than 50 Primary and Secondary Health Care Facilities in two Local government areas of Bauchi state will benefit from world Bank Nigerian States Health Investment Project (NSHIP).

A statement signed and issued by Information officer Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency Alhaji Suleiman Alhassan Dambam, a copy of which was made available with National Trail said the facilities are selected out of the one hundred and seventy in Bauchi and Katagum LGA mapped recently.

It said, the choice followed a unanimous decision taken by stakeholders in the sector at a Validation Meeting held at Azare, the Headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area.

According to the statement, the permanent secretary state Ministry of health Dr. Saidu Aliyu Gital who said the selection of the health facilities was based on merit, urged the facility managers not to toy with the opportunity given them in ensuring the success of the programme.

Represented by Director Planning and Statistics Dr. Dayyabu Muhammad Hassan, the Permanent Secretary explained that scaling up the NSHIP programme to the two LGAs would encourage health facilities in other Local Councils to stand on their feet to be included into the project.

The statement said, the State Project Coordinator NSHIP, Dr. Adamu Muhammad said the aim of the meeting was to present the data mapped for validation and to ascertain the mapping of the health facilities whether it was conducted objectively.

It said Dr. Adamu Muhammad explained that the selection of the health facilities was done based on the criteria given them by World Bank however assured that if there was need for addition, more would be included in due course.

The Director Primary Health Care Department Katagum LGA, Tijjani Ahmad and Immunization Officer Bauchi Local Council Dauda M. Shu’aibu said the project was a welcome development and promised to do all the needful to ensure its success.